Somewhere, lurking in a file, is a video of James Harrison playing piano and singing ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ whilst I stood in a Frank Sinatra style pose, accompanied and did harmonies, at a lovely venue called Cafe Fleur in Canford Cliffs, where the pair of us shared a monthly residency.

– Al Scott, Metway Studio, Brighton I thought he was extremely accomplished. The whole package just sounds like he really knows what he’s doing. It was a nice song, an interesting lyric. He plays very well. He bought an interesting edge to it. The band were understated but right where they wanted to be.Very Good.

– Nick Coquet, The Brighton Source Nice sparse arrangement, a simplicity emphasises the story-telling aspect. There’s a melancholic maturity in what he’s talking about and I think that matches the maturity of the man. Uncluttered – Let’s the flow of his words come out. ”

– Chris Taylor, The Greys, Brighton The one thing I look for in a good songwriter is where a performer paints good pictures and this man does that. If you close your eyes when you listen to his lyrics, you can see those pictures – They’re there. They’re real and that’s the essence of good storytelling with a song. There’s a lot more going on behind the voice than you immediately gather. His south of the river, not Americanised, voice works very well. ”

“FRANK” – Pete Christie – Review
by Beca Fludgate

“Normal Shade of Blue” is a story type song and finds Pete drinking “coffee flavoured water in a service station” – this illustrates the humour that flavours the whole album which although quite intense and dark also lifts the listener with moments of irony and bittersweet analogies.

“…Normal Shade of Blue” is a bona fide tear-jerker…”

Pete Christie is the archetypal singer songwriter, opening his set with a wistful and dreamy number called ‘Normal Shade of Blue’, an ode to unrequited love. His story of distance and missed opportunity is paired with interesting chord voicing and well used vibrato during instrumental sections. His playing style is further defined with his second song, using a loop pedal to create a rhythm track as a basis for his emotive lead playing.

‘Frank’ – Review by Fiona Heyes – formerly with Live Wire

“…a mini masterpiece, Normal Shade of Blue. The addition of other musicians on this track reduces the impact of the awesome loneliness of Pete’s solo guitar version, a welcome relief for those not readily given to tears…”